O’Reilly paled, but he took his time backing out of the cubicle. “Stay out of the past, Marcel,” he warned Jax. “You won’t like what you stir up.”
Jax scowled as the detective disappeared from view.
He didn’t know what O’Reilly had hoped to achieve. But he intended to keep a close eye on the man.
A very close eye.
Chapter Five
After a late night of organizing his old files, Ash was up and out of bed before dawn the next morning. He’d slept remarkably well considering he’d been in a strange place. It could have been because he was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. But he suspected it had more to do with the knowledge that Remi was sleeping on the other side of the wall.
For the first time in years, he hadn’t felt that empty ache in the center of his being. As if just having Remi near was enough to ease his need.
The sensation should have worried him, but he shrugged off the strange thought and hopped in the shower, then pulled on the heavy sweatpants and shirt his brother had packed for him. Next, he headed into the kitchen, starting the coffee maker and searching through the cabinets until he found a packet of dog treats.
He was seated at the kitchen table sipping his coffee with Buddy on a chair next to him when Remi strolled out of her bedroom.
She was already dressed for her morning run with her hair pulled into a high ponytail as she stepped into the kitchen. She came to a halt, her brows lifting at the sight of Buddy wagging his tail and offering her a goofy grin. Quickly, her gaze moved to the empty packet on the table.
“Are you bribing my dog?” she demanded.
Ash scratched the mutt under his chin. “He’s a beauty.”
“He is,” she readily agreed. “Why are you up so early?”
He rose to his feet. “Getting ready to go for a jog.”
She hesitated, clearly searching for an excuse to avoid his company.
“You don’t have to go with me,” she said. “I always take Buddy.”
He strolled toward the door to the garage where he’d left his coat. He turned back to meet her wary gaze as he pulled it on. “I’ve been running alone for years. It’ll be nice to have some company.”
His soft words seemed to catch her off guard. Slowly, her tension eased. Grabbing her own coat, she bundled it around her and took the leash.
“Okay, but you have to keep up or we’ll leave you in our dust.” Buddy scrambled to her side, eager to be out. She snapped the leash to his collar before dropping a kiss on top of his broad head. “Won’t we, boy?”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll keep up,” Ash assured her, feeling a tiny tug on his heart. Remi was so warm and affectionate. She needed someone in her life to smother with love.
Of course, if she chose another man . . .
He slammed the door on the painful thought as his hand instinctively reached for the gun he no longer carried. This morning he just wanted to enjoy spending time with Remi.
In silence, they headed out of the house, walking a block to warm their muscles. Then, without needing to speak, they fell into a comfortable pace as they jogged through the early morning darkness. This was one of many rituals they’d enjoyed during their time together.
The sun was just beginning to crest the horizon when they turned back. The faint light allowed Ash ample opportunity to catch sight of the shadow that moved across her front porch.
Reaching out, he grasped her arm and brought her to a sharp halt. “Wait,” he commanded.
She sent him a puzzled glance. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a man on your porch.”
She stiffened, the dog growling as she turned her head to peer through the darkness. After a minute, she released her breath with a harsh sigh.
“That’s just Doug,” she said in dismissive tones.
“Doug?”
“Doug Gates.”
He glanced down at her unconcerned expression. “A friend?”
She shrugged. “My next-door neighbor.”
Ash frowned. If she thought he would be comforted by her explanation, she was wrong. He didn’t like the thought there was a man living so close who thought he had the right to wander around her property.
“Does he spend a lot of time on your porch?” he demanded.
She sent him a puzzled glance, easily catching the edge in his voice. “He’s a nice guy,” she assured him.
Ash ignored her words, his gaze remaining locked on the man who’d moved to glance through Remi’s front window. He was going to have a word with Doug about creeping around a woman’s house. Either he was a pervert or something worse.
“Married?” he asked.
“Divorced.”
“How long has he lived next door?”
“Around six months.”
Ash’s suspicion went up a notch. Certainly, it could be a coincidence. But then again, if the Butcher had returned to Chicago with the specific purpose of playing some sick game with Remi, moving next to her would fit the pattern.
“Hmm.”
He heard Remi heave a deep sigh. “You’re going to run a background check on him, aren’t you?”
Ash shrugged. “Not me personally.”
With a shake of her head, Remi cut through the yard and climbed on the porch. “Hi, Doug.”
The man whirled around, an eager smile curving his lips. “Morning, Remi.”
Ash strolled up behind her, pleased to hear Buddy growling low in his throat. The dog clearly thought Doug was sketchy. Yet another reason to discover everything he could about the neighbor. He halted beside Remi, barely resisting the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulder.
Doug glanced toward him, his smile fading as his eyes narrowed.
Remi broke the thick silence. “This is Ash Marcel. He’s staying with me for the holidays.”
Doug allowed his gaze to run over Ash, his jaw tightening. “A relative?”
Remi answered before Ash could speak. “An old friend.”
“I see,” Doug said, his tone indicating he didn’t understand at all.
“Did you need something?” Remi demanded.
Doug gave Ash one last, lingering glance, almost as if he thought he could intimidate him. Idiot.
“Just making sure your lurker hadn’t returned.”
Ash was immediately distracted. “What lurker?”
“It’s nothing.” Remi sent a stiff smile toward Doug. “Everything’s fine.”
It was an unmistakable dismissal and Doug grudgingly headed off the porch. “Okay, then. If you need anything, just give a yell.”
Waiting until the man had disappeared into the house next door, Ash glanced toward Remi. “Tell me about the lurker.”
“After we get out of the cold.”
Remi reached into the pocket of her coat to pull out her keys. Unlocking the front door, she entered the house and unhooked Buddy’s leash. The dog moved to flop on a pillow next to the couch while Ash closed the door.
He pulled off his coat and tossed it on a nearby chair. “Talk,” he commanded.
She sent him a wry glance, tugging off her own jacket. “Last night I took Buddy for a walk. When we came back to the house, he ran into the kitchen and started barking. I went out and looked around, but there was no one around. There might have been a shadow at the back of the yard, but it was too dark to say for sure.”